Estonia Wants EU and Russia to Conclude Comprehensive Co-operation Agreement Based on International Legal System

11.03.2013

No 89-E

Estonia would like for negotiations for a new comprehensive co-operation agreement as well as the modernisation dialogue with Russia to continue, so that relations would be based on international agreements and the international legal system, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said at a meeting of the European Union foreign ministers in Brussels.

Paet stated that partnership is important for both sides. The European Union is Russia’s biggest trade partner and a majority of the foreign investments in Russia come from the European Union.

“We would like for the new agreement to cover trade and economic relations, investments, and legal relations based on the rules of the World Trade Organisation,” he noted.

In co-operation with Russia, it is important to ensure that Russia is fulfilling all the obligations it has accepted as it joined certain institutions, the Estonian foreign minister added. “For example, it must end the import restrictions on live animals from the European Union,” he said.

Foreign Minister Paet stated that work must also continue with the European Union’s Eastern Partnership countries. “We must steadily make progress with the Eastern Partners that have confirmed their interest in integrating with the European Union,” he stated. The foreign minister added that we hope to make progress with Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and Armenia at the Vilnius summit.